Are weed contact highs real? | Weed Easy

Contact highs have long been the stuff of weed legend, but is it really possible get high if someone else is smoking a joint near you? And can it make you fail a drug test if you inhale second-hand cannabis smoke?

Contact highs have long been the stuff of weed legend, but is it really possible get high if someone else is smoking a joint near you? Can you get high off secondhand weed smoke? Studies show that it’s technically possible, but unlikely.

This is because very little THC is exhaled after a hit, when smoking cannabis.

A 1999 study found that when smoking a joint, around half of the THC is inhaled – and the more experienced a weed smoker you are – the more THC and other cannabinoids you inhale and absorb. Leaving little to give those around you a contact high.

However, according to some studies, it is possible to get a contact high if you’re near a significant amount of cannabis smoke for an extended period of time.

In one study, non pot-smokers were put into a confined room with several people smoking high-THC cannabis. The non pot-smokers did report experiencing a mild high, and they also showed signs of mildly impaired performance of motor tasks.

Can secondhand weed smoke make you fail a drug test?

Another study found that subjects who remained in a ventilated room with others who were smoking marijuana for three hours, did have trace amounts of THC in their bloodstream. But the amount of THC wouldn’t be enough to fail a drug test.

While possible, whether you get a contact high or not is largely affected by these factors:

The amount of smoke

If the smoke is inhaled properly (inexperienced weed smokers tend to exhale more THC)

Potency of the cannabis

Ventilation

Physical location

And how long it takes your body to metabolize THC.

So while it’s tough to get a potent contact high, it’s possible to get a mild one. And though it might not be enough to fail a drug test, it’s also possible to end up with tiny amounts of THC in your system.

There isn’t much research in this area, but one experiment with rats did show that exposure to second-hand cannabis smoke can produce similar health issues to secondhand tobacco smoke – including diminished function in the blood vessels and heart.

Though it’s not known what long-term effects marijuana usage has on respiratory function, marijuana smoke does contain tars and toxins that could potentially cause damage over time.

So while contact highs from secondhand pot smoke are possible, the amount inhaled is too small to get you super blazed or make you fail a drug test.

In terms of health risks though, more research is needed to determine whether the effects of secondhand weed smoke are just as harmful as secondhand cigarette smoke.

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